What Help Would You Give To New Posters

ZTD

Don't lose hope. No matter what you think is going to happen, if you keep plodding along, then one day, there will be a dawn.

Annie_Fanny

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't keep/continue to pay into savings when the savings are earning you a maximum of 5% and the debt(s) is/are at a much higher interest rate! 29% Store card anyone?!!

postingalwaysposting

never give up if you need someone to talk to there is always someone on here that has been through it/going through it :j

Mirtos

Set yourself small goals that you can cross off one by one and feel proud (an MSE sig is a good place to do this!) That will keep you motivated AND keep you constantly up to date on your finances. I've found that this means I actually look forward to my bills each month as it means I can update my DFW sig and see the numbers lowering bit by bit!

MinnieSpender

Get over to the Old Style board - invaluable information. It's where I started and made me learn to love being thrifty.

Turn becoming Debt Free into a game - use spreadsheets and maybe even graphs to plot how your debt is coming down. It may be idle amusement, but it really gives me a lift when I see the line going down.

Put your loose change into a pot at the end of each day. This is your treats pot and somehow spending out of that gives me a bigger buzz and feeling of gratitude than slapping spends on a credit card ever did.

tawnyowls

Check every single thing that you have to pay for each month: utilities, insurance, council tax, etc, and get ensure you're paying as little as possible - as melabarrie says, use Uswitch and other comparison sites, get at least 3 quotes for insurance etc, ensure that you're not paying hidden charges for extras on insurance that you don't need, and investigate any discounts you can get: e.g. cheaper to pay be DD or annually? discount if you buy online or if you manage accounts? cheaper if you have all your insurances with the same company?

Also, definitely check out ways of cutting phone bills - that can be quite a big bill for most people.

free4440273

"think before you shop"

Broken_hearted

Sit down with a cup of tea/coffee open all those letters you have been hiding and sort them into piles. Have a bills file so you know where everything is. Follow SS advice on writing a SOA, then post it so we can help. Get advice from CAB, payplan or CCC. If the creditors are phoning you change your number.
Remember the worst they can do is make you pay or take your possetions. Its not the end of the world. BIG HUGS.

jessicamb

Great ideas people.

*shameless bumping this thread to see if there are any more*

Molanole

Set yourself a weekly spend limit, withdraw the set amount at the start of the week and then......

LEAVE YOUR CARDS AT HOME

Invaluable I find that one.... :rolleyes: